Lauki Halwa for Navratri: A Light and Delicious Sweet Treat for the Festive Fast

Navratri is more than a festival; it’s a period of devotion, fasting and victory of good over evil. Spanning 9 days, Navratri is dedicated to Goddess Durga and her 9 forms, observed with prayers, dance and fasting all over India. This year Navratri starts on 30th March 2025 and along with it comes the festive spirit, spiritual discipline and of course, sattvik food without grains, onions and garlic.

Fasting during Navratri doesn’t mean you have to miss out on taste and that’s where Lauki Halwa comes in. Also known as bottle gourd halwa, this is a light yet satisfying sweet dish that fits perfectly in the fasting diet. Lauki is often ignored in our daily meals but when slow cooked in milk and flavored with cardamom, it turns into a rich and aromatic dessert. The natural sweetness of lauki blends beautifully with condensed milk or jaggery making it a guilt free indulgence during fasting days.

Whether you serve it hot or cold, Lauki Halwa is a perfect balance of simplicity and festivity. It keeps you energized and lets you enjoy the Navratri spirit. Ready to try this traditional vrat friendly sweet? Let’s get started!

How To Make A Delicious Lauki Halwa for Navratri

Ingredients

• 2 cups lauki (bottle gourd), grated
• 2 cups full-fat milk
• ½ cup sugar or jaggery (adjust as per taste)
• 2 tbsp ghee
• ¼ tsp cardamom powder (elaichi)
• 8-10 cashews, chopped
• 8-10 almonds, chopped
• 1 tbsp raisins (kishmish)
• 5-6 strands saffron (optional, for color and aroma)

Method

1. Wash, peel and grate the bottle gourd. Squeeze out excess water using your hands.
2. Heat ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan or kadhai. Add chopped cashews, almonds and raisins and sauté for a few seconds until golden.
3. Add the grated lauki and cook on medium flame for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it softens.
4. Pour in the milk, mix well and let it simmer on low flame. Stir occasionally and cook until the milk reduces and thickens (about 10-15 minutes).
5. Add sugar or jaggery, mix well and continue cooking until the halwa thickens. Sprinkle in cardamom powder and saffron strands.
6. Mix everything well and cook for another 2 minutes. Turn off the flame and let it sit for a few minutes. Garnish with more dry fruits and serve warm or chilled.

8 Tips and Tricks to Perfect Lauki Halwa for Navratri

Choose the Right Lauki

Your halwa starts with choosing a fresh, tender and light green bottle gourd. Don’t use overripe or fibrous ones as they will turn bitter and affect the taste of your halwa. Always taste a small piece before using it in the recipe—if it has a bitter hint, discard it immediately.

Squeeze Out Excess Water

Lauki has a lot of water content which will make your halwa too watery. After grating, squeeze out as much water as possible using your hands or a muslin cloth. This will help lauki absorb the flavors of milk and ghee better and give your halwa a thicker consistency.

Cook the Lauki in Ghee First

Instead of directly adding lauki to the milk, roast it in ghee for a few minutes. This step removes the raw smell, enhances the flavor and ensures lauki soaks up the sweetness better when combined with milk and sugar.

Use Full Fat Milk for a Creamier Halwa

Navratri sweets should be nourishing, and full fat milk adds that. Let the milk simmer and reduce slowly to develop a deep mellow sweetness. If you want an extra thick consistency, add a little khoya or condensed milk towards the end.

Jaggery for a Traditional Touch

While sugar is common, using jaggery makes the halwa more nutritious and vrat-friendly. If using jaggery, melt it separately and add it once the halwa is off the flame so it doesn’t curdle. This also gives your halwa a nice caramelized flavor.

Don’t Miss the Cardamom and Saffron

A pinch of cardamom powder makes the halwa aromatic and aids digestion – very important during fasting. A few strands of saffron soaked in warm milk gives it a lovely golden color and a mild floral flavor, making your halwa even more special.

Don’t Overdo the Dry Fruits

Too many dry fruits can overpower the flavor, so use them wisely. Cashews add a nice crunch; almonds have a nutty flavor and raisins natural sweetness. Toasting them in ghee before adding to the halwa makes them extra tasty.

Let it Sit for a Richer Taste

Lauki Halwa tastes better when allowed to sit for 10-15 minutes before serving. This sitting time lets the flavors meld together and the halwa thickens as it cools. Serve it warm for a cozy feeling or chilled for a refreshing twist.